National Assembly has been informed that government has taken concrete steps for development of agriculture sector in the country.

Supreme Court has adjourned hearing of review petitions against its verdict in Panama Papers case till on Friday.

Election Commission has issued bailable arrest warrants of PTI chief in a contempt of court case.

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ISPR:

Pakistan, Afghanistan, and United States have re-affirmed their resolve to continue fight against the common threat of terrorism.

The resolve was expressed during tripartite meetings in Kabul on Thursday.

Areas of mutual security interests and concerns were deliberated upon during the interaction.

The three sides expressed their commitment to eliminate Daesh through information sharing, complementary efforts and enhanced cooperation.

In the Pak- Afghan Bilateral meeting, important issues linked to cross border fire, attacks, counter terrorism, coordinated actions on respective side along the border and detainees exchange were discussed.

Both sides agreed to make progress in line with the commitments made at recent high level meetings and formulate an action plan which will contribute towards improving security along the Pak - Afghan border through enhanced cooperation.

A six member high level Pakistan military delegation headed by DG Military Operations Major General Sahir Shamshad Mirza participated in the meetings.

FO

Pakistan says sale of advanced military technology and equipment by the United States to India would accentuate military imbalance and undermine strategic stability in South Asia.

Responding to questions at the weekly news briefing in Islamabad on Thursday, Foreign Office spokesperson Nafees Zakaria said the sale also encourages India to adopt aggressive military doctrine and contemplate military adventures.

He said transfer of modern military hardware and technologies as well as repeated exceptions for India also dis-incentivise New Delhi to engage in efforts to establish Strategic Restraint Regime. He said Pakistan has repeatedly been calling for such a regime for durable security architecture in the region.

The spokesperson said that RAW agent Kulbhushan Yadav was launched by India to carry out subversive activities in Pakistan and now New Delhi is trying to divert attention from the actual issue by presenting it as a humanitarian one.

He said Pakistan is committed to supporting all initiatives aimed at peace and stability in Afghanistan.

He told a questioner that Pakistan has raised the issue of plight of Rohingya Muslims in Rakhine at different forums.

KHAQAN

Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has said the issue of water and gas faced by people of Sui and Dera Bugti will be resolved on priority basis.

He said this while speaking at inaugural ceremony of Kachhi Canal Project in District Dera Bugti of Balochistan on Thursday.

NA QUESTION

National Assembly was informed on Thursday that government has taken concrete steps for development of agriculture sector.

Replying to a question during the question hour, Minister for Inter Provincial Coordination Riaz Hussain Pirzada said that subsidy on fertilizers was increased to thirty-nine billion rupees in last fiscal year. He said cash subsidy of 100 rupees per bag is being provided to the farmers on Urea fertilizer in the current fiscal year.

The Minister said that a cash subsidy of 5000 rupees per acer was provided for cotton and rice growers in 2015-16.

Answering a question, Minister for Health Services Saira Afzal Tarar informed the House that 8074 cases of HIV-AIDS have been reported in the country during the last one and a half year.

SC-HEARING:

Supreme Court has adjourned hearing of review petitions against its decision in Panama Papers Case till on Friday.

A five member larger bench of the court headed by Justice Asif Saeed Khosa heard the petitions in Islamabad on Thursday.

Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's counsel Khawaja Haris continued his arguments before the court on Thursday.

He said for non disclosure of assets a candidate's election can be declared void but he cannot be disqualified forever.

He challenged the very definition of assets for disqualifying former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

Khawaja Haris said an unwithdrawn salary does not constitute an offence under the provision of Representation of Peoples Act invoked to disqualify the former Prime Minister.

He added that chairmanship of Capital FZE by Nawaz Sharif was just ceremonial.

Imran Khan was issued notice to appear in person on Thursday but he did not.

Later, talking to newsmen founding member of PTI Akbar S. Babar said Imran is back in the country and he should have appeared the Commission on Thursday.

He said Imran is deliberately avoiding cases against him.

MoU

Parliament of Pakistan and Leadership for Environment And Development Pakistan (LEAD) signed a Memorandum of Understanding in Islamabad on Thursday for technical assistance and capacity building of parliamentarians and staff in connection with Sustainable Development Goals.

It was signed by Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq and CEO of LEAD Pakistan Ali Tauqir Sheikh at a ceremony at the Parliament House.

Speaking after the signing ceremony, the Speaker said Parliament has taken the lead in establishing a Secretariat of Sustainable Development Goals.

He said provinces too have nominated their focal persons for the secretariat for effective coordination and implementation of policies and realization of the goals.

Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb, who is chairperson Parliamentary Task Force on Sustainable Development Goals said the parliamentarians have started work on realization of goals in their constituencies.

CEO of LEAD Pakistan Ali Tauqir Sheikh said that the project will be completed in five years.

ANUSHA

Minister of State for Information Technology Anusha Rehman has expressed the hope the Supreme Court will decide review petitions according to law and the constitution.

Talking to media outside the Supreme Court in Islamabad on Thursday, she said former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif presented himself and his family for accountability because he has faith in sanctity of the Court.

The Minister said PML-N is of the view that the report of Joint Investigation Team is incomplete and could not provide basis for the decision.

KHATTAK:

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has acquired more than nine hundred kanal of land in Peshawar for construction of modern bus terminal.

Addressing a function in Peshawar on Thursday the Chief Minister said the government is planning to start Heritage train for foreign tourists to highlight the historical places in Peshawar.

The Chief Minister said the government has allocated sufficient funds to make the city clean and green.

He said more than thirty-five hundreds doctors have been recruited to overcome shortage of doctors in the hospitals.

POLIO-MURAD:

Chief Minister Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah has directed the concerned departments to take effective measures to rid the province of polio.

He was chairing a high level meeting of provincial task force on eradication of polio in Karachi on Thursday.

The Chief Minister expressed concern over surface of single polio case in Karachi after nineteen months.

The meeting was informed that seven out of nine environmental samples taken to check the presence of polio virus in city have been found positive.

AFGHAN:

In Afghanistan, a roadside bomb has killed a district police chief in Ghazni province.

An Afghan official says bomb struck the police officer's car during a patrol early on Thursday.

INDIA:

In India, nineteen people were killed after a crowded boat capsized in the Yamuna River in Uttar Pradesh state.

CHINA:

In China, nine workers have been killed in an explosion at a coal mine in Heilongjiang province.